“fashion third spaces”
After working at Aritzia for over a year, I’ve noticed the impact of having a “living room” - esque seating area in the middle of the store.
Today, brands implement new metrics of success. Retail stores and boutiques integrate amenities into their physical spaces. These additions go from in-store coffee shops to comfortable seating areas and photo opportunities. Which are all designed to create a sense of perceived community.
Motivating people to stay longer, they facilitate more purchases.
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Motavating people to stay longer, they facilitate more purchases.
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A perfect example of an authentic fashion third space is “La Watch Party”. An event recently created by fashion blogger Lyas, first started in a London bar, where 300 fashion lovers joined to watch a live-streamed Dior show.
Lyas, has evolved the concept and has partnered with sponsors to create a free, inclusive and accessible fashion space. With the cherry on top being, a supersized MacBook screen where the shows are displayed.
No doubt this is just the start of Lyas’s Watch Party.
My thoughts are: authentic fashion communities should be cultivated in non-monetary environments. And now more than ever, they are needed for all of us that want to experience more of our interests in real life. Not only on the internet.
While brainstorming for examples:
Museums: A great space to find people with similar interests, most of the time, an entrance fee is required.
Local Fashion shows: Tickets are usually also required. Though a great space for socializing and networking with other creatives.
Fashion/Art classes: One of my main third spaces in my college career. Where I’ve created my first connections in the industry, and where I have connected with other like-minded people. (Still money is involved)
All of these examples that I’ve listed, just highlight that the core problem is the monetary barrier. It is evident that almost every “fashion third space” involves a transaction.
Now it is our job as creatives to create spaces for the future of fashion.
